In the geographic sciences, as in mathematics, precision refers to the number of significant digits, exactness, or detail to which a value has been reliably measured. That is, it describes the finest unit of measurement used to express a measured value. For example, if a record is reported to the nearest minute, the precision is 1/3,600th of a degree; if a decimal degree is reported to two decimal places, the precision is 0.01 of a degree. In statistics, on the other hand, precision refers to the ability of a measurement to be consistently reproduced or the level of agreement among a series of measurements, values, or results (i.e., its repeatability or reproducibility).

Although a location or attribute may be measured very precisely, it does not mean ...